According to the DNR website, the 2011 adult spawning stock numbers included 16,560 females and 30,260 males. The only mentioned change from last season was that the harvest cap on Lake Winnebago increased to 745 adult females and on the upriver lakes to 83 adult females, up from 711 and 79 respectively.

At last week's Calumet County Sportsmen's Alliance meeting, Bob Krupp of Walleyes for Tomorrow reported that WFT was looking at the possibility of both barges and dump wagons for hauling rocks to construct future reefs in Lake Winnebago. WFT has 20 reef sights in mind and the organization has five million pounds of stone at Quinney for future use. Ice conditions this winter are preventing any reef construction.

One of the big stories last week was as announcement from the DNR that certain residents would soon be able to hunt (read shoot) problem wolves.
Affected landowners were able to get permits starting Jan. 27. People without a permit can still shoot a wolf if it is attacking personal property.

Figures indicate that 10 dogs have been killed this past summer by wolves and 47 farms reported nearly 75 livestock killings in 2010.

The DNR also announced that there will be fewer bear permits issued for 2012. 4,600 permits, down 500 from 2011 will be issued, with three of the four zones having fewer permits available. The agency says the reason for the reduction is that the state's bear population is no longer growing.

I am troubled by the DNR's rationale for the permit reduction, primarily because the most recent population survey has not yet been completed. While the preliminary harvest was down from the previous year, bear hunters, both bait and hound, are becoming more picky, often eating a tag rather than taking a smaller bruin.

There is some good news on the forthcoming spring turkey hunt. More tags will be available for Zones 2 (our area) and 7.

Statewide, final tag numbers will be 233,220, and increase of the 7,800 tags from 2011. In Zone 2, tag numbers increased from 34,200 in 2011 to 40,800 this year. Zone 7 numbers went from 2,400 to 3,600.

The increase to 40,800 tags could potentially make 1,100 leftover tags available for each Zone 2 time period, depending on the number of overall applicants.

Over the past few years, period 6 only had leftover tags, and they were snatched up in less than 30 minutes. Over-the-counter sales of leftover spring turkey tags will be available the week of March 19-23, with one-zone-per-day sales beginning at 10 a.m. each day. After March 23, all zones will be open each day.

There is talk in some quarters that the coyote season in the state should be shortened. John Olson, DNR fur ecologist, is proposing a change that would have the season close during April, May and June but allow the killing of coyotes during the nine day gun deer season.

Olson says the change would help the coyote hunter's image, but I would have to disagree. There are probably very few informed individuals who have a problem with shooting coyotes all-year round. The DNR has no population estimates, but almost every hunter you talk to has a story and there is little question that the predators numbers are on the increase.

There will be time to talk about the proposal since Olson said it probably wouldn't show up on the spring hearings agenda until 2013 or 2014.

Illegal marijuana growing operations have damaged 67 national forests in 20 states. Forest Service enforcement stated that the situation presents "a clear and present danger," not just to the environment but also to forest users.
Closer to home, the ATF has established a task force in Iron River to take on the meth lab explosion.

Recently, the artist known as Christo, received permission from the Bureau of Land Management to cover sections of Colorado's Arkansas River with fabric. Anglers are unhappy, claiming it will limit river access for three years and trout and other fish will be marginalized. Funny, no protests from the environmental lobby!

Until next time, keep your hooks sharp, you feet warm and your powder dry!

Share Link: